Need for Speed: Destined Burn
by Darkiea
Summary: Set two years before his untimely end, the final moments of Pete's life are set in stone as he travels cross-country to the scorching deserts of Nevada for the great Desert Storm Race. - - - Plot & Details Inside.


**_NEED FOR SPEED: Destined Burn_**

Set two years before his untimely end, the final moments of Pete's life are set in stone as he travels cross-country to the scorching deserts of Nevada for the great Desert Storm Race. Against Tobey Marshall's and his sister Anita's protests, he drives off to the desert heat with his partner Larkin to enter the race and take home the cash prize of twenty-five thousand dollars. Along the way, he meets the rebel Raze who provides him with the top-notch car he needs in order to claim victory. Faced with the obstacles of death, passion, and money, Pete comes to realize the true hazards of being a racer.

**AN: After seeing the movie last week, I was disturbed at how quickly the writers killed off Pete's character and the means in which they did so. Although his death did play a vital role in the plot of the movie, I felt he lost so much potential. There was no back-story for him, and the movie itself was filled with an abundance of gaps. So here I am, filling in those holes and giving Pete the character he deserves. This will mainly focus around Pete and his troupe made up of the impulsive idiot Larkin and the rebellious beauty Raze, but will feature cameos from other characters from the movie. Tobey and Anita do have major roles, but more so in the first few chapters than anything.**

**I'll try to point out the gaps and connections from Destined Burn to the actual movie, but if you have seen the movie, then they should be fairly obvious. **

**Also, I am not, in any way whatsoever, familiar with cars, so I will be referring to some of the ones that were in the beginning train race in the movie, such as the Chevy Camaro. To those of you who are reading this lengthy note, if you have any car suggestions for the big Desert Storm in the later chapters, please please please let me know. Cars are not my strong suit and I want this to be as realistic and materialistic as possible.**

**Thanks guys, and I do hope you enjoy Destined Burn. **

**- xox B.**

* * *

Summers were always mild, especially in Mount Kisco, New York. It was the type of weather where you would lie in the sun and soak the warm rays into your skin. That was partially the reason why Pete Coleman was lounged across the bleachers of an old raceway, sunglasses perched on his nose. He tilted his head back, smiling, as his friend Tobey Marshall zoomed past in an old beat-up Chevy Camaro. For Pete, and Tobey, this wasn't just sun-soaking weather; this was racing weather.

Tobey didn't race much nowadays, but he occasionally enjoyed coming out to the track to drive laps, bringing Pete along for the thrill. The two were like brothers, and the time they had on the track made for even more bonding between the boys.

As Tobey sped down the track, he glanced in the mirror at Pete's receding figure. He caught sight of a girl making her way down the bleachers towards Pete, her face watching Tobey's car. A grin plastered across Tobey's face and he pressed down on the pedal to speed up, making his round back to the bleachers.

Pete turned his head slightly at the sound of footsteps on the metal stairs. Footsteps that belonged to a pair of black open-toed pumps, the kind of shoes his sister would wear.

"Hey, Anita!" He greeted his sister with a smile. Her dark hair was pulled into a ponytail and large black-framed sunglasses shielded her eyes.

"Hi, Pete," she said, returning the smile and ruffling his hair as she sat beside him. "I see Tobey's in a racing mood today."

"Yeah. How'd you know we were here?"

"The guys back at the shop told me." She replied with her eyes fixated on Tobey's approaching car. Racing had never been her scene, but she did enjoy watching Tobey. There was always a passion in his eyes when he drove, the same passion that she was starting to see in her younger brother.

"Yeah? Gonna ask Tobey out to dinner again?" Pete teased.

Anita shook her head with a small laugh. "No. I actually needed to talk to him," she said and turned towards her brother. "And you."

They both looked down at the track at the sound of the flinching squeal of tires. Tobey was climbing out of his car and making his way to the bleachers.

"Anita!" He waved, jogging up the metal stairs. "Anita, hey." He leaned in to give her a quick kiss as he reached the two siblings. Pete rolled his eyes and stood up next to Tobey.

"So what do you gotta tell us, sis?" Pete asked, slipping his hands in his back jeans pockets.

Tobey, who had his arm around Anita's waist, leaned back to look at her, squinting from the harsh sunlight. "Oh, boy. I'm not going to be a father, am I?" He asked jokingly.

"Tobey!" Anita cried, gesturing towards her brother.

"Oh, I'm sure Pete isn't ignorant in that department," Tobey joked, which earned him a playful punch from his friend.

"So what's up?" Tobey asked, more seriously now.

Anita glanced away, worry displayed across her face. "Look…" she started. "I got a job offer."

"Really?" Tobey and Pete cried in unison.

"That's great!" Pete smiled. "From who?"

"Dino Brewster," she replied quietly.

Tobey stiffened beside her, his whole body tensing up. "Oh."

"And it's in…Manhattan," she mumbled.

"Manhattan…" Pete echoed. "That's not too far away." Despite the optimism, she could hear the hurt in his voice.

"You didn't take it, did you?" Tobey questioned, his voice flat.

"I did," she said. Tobey shook his head and ran a hand through his ruffled hair.

"Dino gave me a really good offer," Anita said quickly.

"Anita…" His voice trailed. "Pete, why don't you go wait by the car. I need to talk to your sister, 'kay?"

Pete wordlessly made his way down the stairs and to the car, slamming the door as he got in.

"Tobey, come on. I know you two aren't friends, but it's an opportunity for me." She said as Pete was out of earshot.

"Yeah, and what about Pete? He's your brother." Tobey said angrily. "He needs you."

"He has you, Tobey!" Anita countered. "I'm not always going to be there for him."

"Well you wouldn't be the first person to leave him," Tobey muttered.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" She grabbed his arm. "Tobey, I'm doing this for him. For the money. Dino is offering a lot. I don't want Pete growing up like this."

"Like what? Like me?" Tobey looked directly at her, through the lenses of her sunglasses.

"That's not what I meant…" Her voice trailed off. She glanced down at the car, at Pete. "I'm taking the job, Tobey."

"Fine. Do whatever." Tobey turned away from her.

"Just promise to look after him," she begged.

"When are you leaving?" He ignored her plea.

"Friday," she replied. That was in three days.

"How long?"

Anita didn't reply.

Tobey turned back to face her. "How long, Anita?" He repeated.

"Awhile," she said. "If it goes well…it'll be permanent. I've already rented an apartment. The drive back and forth would be too much."

"Why didn't you tell me before?" He asked, mildly hurt.

"I didn't know how you'd take it," she confessed.

"Well now you do," he mumbled.

"Tobey…" She wasn't sure what else to say. She loved Tobey, and leaving him was hard. She just wished he could be supportive of her decision.

Pete stared out the window at his sister and Tobey. He knew they were arguing again. They had been arguing lately about everything, even petty things, and it upset him that the two fought so much. Even from a distance, he could tell they were having their silent phase. They were turned away from each other, Tobey staring at the ground, Anita the sky. In a few seconds, Pete predicted, they would go into their reconcile phase.

Tobey sighed heavily, glancing over his shoulder. "You need a ride somewhere? Gotta get back to the shop."

Anita shrugged and turned towards him. "No, I drove."

He nodded, biting his lip. "All right," he said. "You gonna drop by later?" He asked a few moments later.

"Maybe," she replied. "Tomorrow, probably."

"Lunch?"

"Sure."

Tobey nodded awkwardly and gave his girlfriend a quick hug and kiss on the cheek. "See you, then."

"See you." She gave a tight smile, and waved at Pete in the car, who half-waved back. She watched Tobey make his way down the stairs towards his car. He glanced up at her before he climbed in, slamming the door behind him.

He sat there a moment, and Pete stared at him. "So?"

"Don't worry about it, Pete," he snapped. "She's taking the job."

"I figured she was. What about you?" He asked.

Tobey put the car in drive then looked over at his friend. "What about me?"

"Are you two gonna stay together or…" Pete's voice trailed off.

"Anita and I are fine. We argue sometimes. We'll make it work, Pete," Tobey assured. But to be honest, Tobey wasn't sure himself. What if he and Anita did break it off? He sighed, not wanting to think about it.

"When is she leaving?" Pete asked.

"Friday. She's gonna drop by tomorrow," Tobey said, maneuvering the car off the track. "She won't leave with saying goodbye, Pete. She won't."


End file.
